BSP will not contest bypolls: Mayawati

Following the announcement of bypolls results in Uttar Pradesh and assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, BSP national president Mayawati on Sunday announced that her party would not contest any bypolls in the country from now on, until it is assured that the Election Commission has taken strict measures to prevent "misuse of government" machinery in these elections.

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BSP President alleged that the government machinery was used during bye-elections in Uttar Pradesh to cast "wrong votes."

Addressing a press conference here, Mayawati said, "In the bye-elections held in the UP assembly on nine seats, the votes that were cast and the results that came yesterday, there is general discussion in public that earlier power was misused to cast wrong votes were through ballot paper, but now the same is being done in EVMs as well, which is sad in a democracy."